NJ Politics Digest: Booker Says He’ll Consider Presidential Bid

For the last two years, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker has been acting like a man considering a presidential run in 2020. And while he hasn’t yet committed to challenging President Donald Trump in two years, this weekend he did take a step closer to a formal bid — telling NJ.com he’d consider running for president.

While it’s a significant step forward, it’s not a surprising one. Booker visited 24 states while campaigning for Democratic candidates in the recent mid-term election, NJ.com points out. He’s also contributed almost $700,000 to House and Senate candidates during the campaign. That means he’s already built up a long list of people who owe him favors.

State Democrats are helping clear the way for Booker. Gov. Phil Murphy recently signed a measure that would allow the state’s junior senator to run for re-election to his seat as well as run for president in two years.

Booker already has more than $4 million banked for his senate campaign. And, even if 2020 is not his time, a bid will provide a dry run should he decide to mount another attempt in the coming years.

“If he ever wants to be president, he should at least go through the motions and see what the appetite is this cycle,” was GOP consultant Craig Stevens’ advice, according to NJ.com

Quote of the Day: “I will consider running for president. That’s something that I will do. There’s people in New Jersey who are talking to me about it, across the country that are talking to me about it, so I will consider that,” — U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, on the possibility of his mounting a presidential campaign in 2020.

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